Hello friends.
I took a mental health day and did what I do best. Shop. Actually I did a lot of shopping. But I got some really good steals.
Hi, my name is Emily and I am a shopaholic.
There. I said it.
First stop: LOFT!! It was 40% off everything in the store. Plus, I had coups.
Dress, shirt, skirt, shorts and bracelet. What more could a girl need for a 4th of July vacay on the beach?
The bracelet was the steal of the day. It’s the perfect pinkish color that goes with just about everything and it was only $4 with the discount and coups. <– best part
Then it was on to Tarjay where I picked up a redonkulously cheap purse, a belt to go with a dress I have and I raided their plate section to aid my phood photography habit. They’re only a buck fifty a plate, so you really can’t go wrong. I love, love, love the variety of colors and patterns. So fun!
The Pilot scored big on this shopping trip – only because he wasn’t there to protest. Four shirts: two with buttons and two polos.
I picked up a few odds and ends on the clearance racks at Pier 1 (love that place – especially their sales) and stopped at Ulta for a new hair brush (my old one ripped a new bald spot in my cranium this morning and enough was enough) and an Emily-must-have: the world’s greatest blush. For that matter, every girl should have this blush. It is that good.
I had a grand lunch of champs at S-bux. It was all I really wanted.
<–soy toffee nut frappuccino
<–banana chocolate-chip coffee cake
<–popcorn
winning –> me
I was craving chocolate cake like a mad-woman last night. Like to the point where I was Emily-the-Grouch until I had my chocolate.
Hi, my name is Emily and I am a chocoholic.
So, I made some cakes for my cup. And not just any cakes. Chocolate ones.
Ingreeds were gathered at Hollydale Health Foods (now and forever more known as HHF).
Okay, it may have been a few more items than what the cakes required…I found a few other things, too – essential things, of course. And the baking began.
{vegan} {whole wheat}
Chocolate Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream
adapted from eggless chocolate cake recipe
- 1 cup non-dairy milk (I prefer unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
- 1 Tbsp distilled white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp+1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 cups unbleached white whole wheat flour (King Arthur or do 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour)
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- Cinnamon Buttercream frosting (see below)
- candied walnuts (see below)
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
- 1/4 cup Earth Balance (I use soy free)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (or more to taste)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2-4 Tbsp non-dairy milk, as needed to achieve desired consistency
- pinch of kosher salt, optional
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup walnuts, toasted
ENJOY. These are so good.